Security personnel outside the entrance of the Abu Simbel temple in south Egypt

For the last many years, Egypt has been focusing on ensuring that there is a high level of security in the tourist sites in the country, ever since there were some terrorist attacks that claimed the life of many foreign tourists in Cairo and at Queen Hatshepsut's temple in the 1990's. As a result, in order to save the tourism industry, the security infrastructure had been enhanced all over, and given the isolated location of the Abu Simbel temple, the security conditions for the Abu Simbel visit are controlled, with visitors allowed to travel there in convoys, twice a day. At the temple, there are many security personnel along with security scanners to provide the required level of security.

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Security personnel at the Abu Simbel temple in South Egypt

For the last many years, Egypt has been focusing on ensuring that there is a high level of security in the tourist sites in the country, ever since there were some terrorist attacks that claimed the life of many foreign tourists in the 1990's. So, the security infrastructure had been enhanced all over, and given the isolated location of the Abu Simbel temple, the security conditions for the Abu Simbel visit are controlled, with visitors allowed to travel there in convoys, twice a day.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

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Security officers and tourists at the Abu Simbel temple in South Egypt

Many years back, the tourism industry in Egypt suffered pretty badly because of terrorism related issues, and hence there was a focus on providing additional security at all the tourist related sites, with the police force being equipped with far more deadly weapons in order to thwart terrorism. In the Abu Simbel temple in south Egypt, because of its isolated location, the need to put in more security was also high. Here, you can see the vehicles carrying police personnel along with police officials and tourists near the parking area of the Abu Simbel temple.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

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Security personnel reading some stuff at the wall at the border of the Abu Simbel in Egypt

Security is of paramount importance to the Egyptian tourist industry. Before the recent political turmoil in the country, tourism employed a huge number of people and contributed many billions of dollars to the Egyptian economy. A number of terror attacks on tourists some years back threatened all this, and there was a need to ensure much more security for the tourist industry. As a result, security measures were implemented all over.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

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Security office on duty near the Abu Simbel temple in south Egypt

Security in Egypt is a big factor for ensuring that the tourism industry remains strong, although the recent political turmoil in the country has already hit the tourism industry. During the past 2 decades, there were terror attacks on tourists in the country, leading to the deaths of many tourists, and these had a pretty bad impact on tourism. As a result, there was a lot more focus on ensuring that tourists are safe, with tourism police being setup at all tourist locations.

The Mysteries of Abu Simbel: Ramesses II	View Larger Map

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Tourist police and tourists at the front gate of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

If you go to Egypt, to the tourist locations, you will see tourist police everywhere. Given the importance of tourism to the Egyptian economy, and a few attacks in the past, the security of tourists is taken very seriously; further, the Egyptian museum is very important in terms of Egyptian history.

A police vehicle in front of The Sphinx and the Great Pyarmid in Giza

This is another sign of how important tourism is to Egypt. If you look at the background, where you can see some very important symbols of Egyptian tourism, you can see a large number of tourists, as well as a police vehicle to ensure the safety of the tourists and Egypt's tourism industry.

A outpost of the Egyptian tourist police at the Panorama Point near the Great Pyramids

The tourist police can be found at all popular tourist locations in Egypt. Ever since some years back, there were attacks on tourists, there has been a huge push to ensure that tourists are secure and have a feeling of safety. As a result, you have armed police everywhere, and when tourists have to go to remote locations to see some monument, they are escorted by police.

A security post and police vehicle at the Panorama point in Giza, near the Great Pyramids

As part of the effort to ensure that tourists have a sense of security and to protect them from terrorists, there are security personnel at every tourist point, as at the Panorama point in Giza.

Security staff and police personnel at the Panorama point in Giza, ensuring security for tourists

Egypt is highly dependent on tourists for a large section of its economy, and as a result of some previous attacks on tourists by religious extremists, it takes the protection of tourists very seriously, and there are security staff at every tourist location.

Cairo Pyramids - A security post at the panorama point of the Great Pyramids

The Egyptian Government is very concerned about the security of tourists (more so since there have been 2 attacks on tourists in the past by Islamic militants). As a result, there is a heavy security presence at tourist locations, such as this security post at the panorama point near the Great Pyramids (from where you get a view of all 3 Great Pyramids).

Cairo Pyramids - Group of tourists at the base of the Grand Pyramid

A group of tourists at the base of the Great Pyramid in Giza, and you can security personnel and local Egyptians there as well. The Great Pyramid is so important to Egypt from a tourist and significance point of view that it is very well protected.

Great Pyramid - The gates at one end of the Pyramids complex, manned by security guards

This is a view of the stone gates located near the Great Pyramid, at one side, with security gates manning these gates. Security is very important for tourism, and so will find security near all the tourist sites.

Cairo Pyramid - Police near the parking of the Great Pyramid in Giza

Police are a constant presence near the major tourist locations in Egypt, because of the threat of terrorists targeting tourists (which can cause a big hit on the tourist industry).

Great Pyramid - A police vehicle near the Great Pyramid, showcasing the tight security

There is a high level of security with respect to the tourist attractions in Egypt, given the money that tourism brings to the country, and with some previous attacks on tourists in the past decade. In this photo, you can see a police vehicle against the giant structure of the Great Pyramid.

The Marching Contingent of the Queen's Guard

The marching contingents at the changing of the guard ceremony in front of Buckingham Palace, and in front of the Victoria Memorial.

London ceremonial policeman

This is a photo of a ceremonial London policeman outside one of the army regiments. I obviously do not know more than that, I initially thought that this was what they called a London 'bearskin', but a search for that term brought a different kind of uniform, and then I recalled that this photo was actually taken outside a place where the placard mentioned that this was the headquarters for one of the regiments. Of course, if someone is reading this and knows which regiment, please update via the comments so that I can put that information in.

Finally got the correction via comments: (From Martin)

This not a policeman, it is a soldier from the Household Cavalry's Life Guards regiment (Distinguishable from the Blues and Royals by the white plume). He is on duty outside Horse Guards.Horse Guards is named after the troops who have mounted the Queen's Life Guard on this spot since the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660. It remains the official entrance to St James's Palace and Buckingham Palace and this is why The Queen's Life Guard is still mounted here.Apart from members of the Royal Family or cavalrymen on duty, everyone needs the Sovereign's permission in the form of an Ivory Pass to either drive or ride through Horse Guards.